Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them. Here is chapter four I hope you like it! This chapter is a bit longer than the previous one. If you want to suggest anything, feel free to do so. It might be of help you know. XD

I do not own Naruto... It owns to Masashi Kishimoto

Chapter Four

A Helping Hand

It has been a long time that has passed since the graduation party. Over the past few months of being genin, Minato met Inoichi Yamanaka, Shikaku Nara, Chouza Akimichi and Tsume Inuzuka, it was not long enough before they became friends, he also met Jiraiya, one of the legendary sannin, he was like a father to him but he couldn't stop from being pissed off especially when he drags Minato into his so called research trips.

"Come on kid! Stop disturbing me from my research." Jiraiya said.

"Sensei, the only reason that I agreed to come with you is because I thought that you were going to teach me the summoning jutsu. I should have known better." Minato frowned.

"How am I gonna teach you the summoning jutsu if you dont know how to be patient? Patience is the key to this jutsu and this is a test to prove if you are qualified, so stop complaining! stop being so immature, you must learn to behave like a real shinobi" Jiraiya shouted.

"You're the one to talk, you call peeping a mature thing to do? huh sensei?" Minato replied.

"It is not peeping! Its called research, it's not like I am doing this for no reason, I need inspiration for my novels. These are the ways of a true..."

"Pervert." Minato cut him off.

"...of a true artist." Jiraiya continued his speech. He was disappointed to see that the girls were about to leave.

"Aw man..." Jiraiya thought. Once they were gone, Jiraiya stood up and looked at Minato.

"Okay, are you ready for our training? I'll teach you the summoning jutsu." Jiraiya said.

"Of course I am." Minato replied.

"First thing to do is sign a contract with the toads in Mt. Myoboku." Jiraiya put out a giant scroll and opened it.

"Sign your name here using your blood then place your fingerprints here." Jiraiya pointed.

Minato did exactly what he said. "next?"

"After signing the contract, you can summon them anytime you want. Watch this."

He watched Jiraiya bite his own thumb then brushing the blood to his palm and make the hand signs of the dog, boar, monkey, bird and sheep, he placed his hand on the ground and shouted " Ninja Art! Summoning Jutsu!"

A toad the size of an elephant suddenly appeared. Minato was amazed, all he was able to say is "Cool.."

"Before you get started, mould your chakra with hand seals and then plant the hand you signed the contract with at the location you wish to summon the creature. The amount of chakra used during the summoning determines how powerful the summoned creature can be." Jiraiya explained.

"I see." Minato replied. He did all the steps Jiraiya did and was able to summon a normal sized frog on his first try. Minato sweat dropped.

"Dont get too upset, It's just your first attempt. even if you are a genious, you wont be able to get it so easily you know. Hahaha! I remembered when I first used the summoning jutsu, I forgot to sign the contract first and I was transported to Mt. Myoboku." Jiraiya added, "Just keep practicing, that will do the trick. Now that Im done teaching you the basics, I'll be gone for a while, see ya!" Jiraiya waved his hand farewell and went to the hot springs.

Minato sighed. He kept training for hours. He was exhausted and hungry, he decided to eat at Ichiraku's.

He saw Kushina at the ramen shop. He felt his heart beating fast again, he thought that maybe it was because he hadn't seen her for quite a while. "Hello Kushina, how's your day?"

Kushina was surprised to see Minato, she couldnt contain her excitement when she saw him. "Minato! It's been a while since you visited. How is it being a genin?"

"Well, its kinda boring at first because we have to do rank D missions like babysitting or retrieving lost cats, but I got used to it. I cant wait to be chunin. How 'bout you?" Minato asked.

"Well, Im fine." Kushina said while busily eating her ramen. When she was finished eating her third bowl, she asked Minato.

"I heard that your sensei is one of the legendary sannin, isn't that great?"

"I was really excited to meet him at first but I was kinda disappointed when I learned that he was a..."

"A what?" Kushina asked.

Speaking of him, Jiraiya entered the ramen shop

"I was not expecting to see you here." Jiraiya told Minato and looked at the girl beside him.

He sat beside her and asked

"What's your name?" Jiraiya asked.

"Im Kushina Uzumaki dattebane!" Kushina said eagerly. "It's a pleasure to meet one of the legendary sannin."

"Kushina, eh. I think I heard that name before... Oh yeah, Minato used to talk about her." Jiraiya thought.

"So... are you and Minato dating?" He asked.

Both of them almost choked up their ramen upon hearing the question.

"Sensei..." Minato said.

"Dont be mistaken, we're just friends," Kushina clarified.

"Sensei has been teaching me the summoning jutsu." Minato told her.

"That's awesome! You're lucky to have one of the legendary sannin as your sensei Minato. I envy you." Kushina said.

Jiraiya was observing Minato and he realized something. "Minato seems so happy being around her. This little squirt! It would be fun setting up these two." Jiraiya inwardly laughed as he thought of a plan.

"Hey Kushina, would you like to train with me and Minato?" He asked.

"Really? You dont mind? I could use some help ya know. Im about to graduate as genin a few months from now." Kushina said.

"Sure, no problem. We will start our training tomorrow, how does that sound?" Jiraiya asked.

"That's great! I can finally catch up with Minato and become Hokage."

"Hey Minato, we were off track, what is it you're gonna tell me about Jiraiya-sensei again?"

Minato shrugged "Uh...nothing, just forget about it."

"Okay I gotta go, see ya tomorrow Minato." as she was running back home, she had this smile on her face, knowing that by tomorrow, she'll be trained by the legendary sannin and most importantly, she will be spending her time with Minato. She does not know for what reason but she always feel jumpy around him. She missed him so much, this was the perfect oppurtunity in order to be with her bestfriend.

Minato and Jiraiya was sitting on the ramen stand eating their bowl of ramen.

"Do you like her?" Jiraiya asked.

"umm... who?" pretending not to know who he was talking about.

"Kushina, who else? You look different when you're with her, and when she left earlier, you must have seen your face. It's like the face of a little kid seeing his mommy leave hahahaha!" Jiraiya teased.

"Now that you say so, Im not sure if I like her or not, everytime I see her, I feel happy and nervous all of a sudden. Maybe it's because she's the closest girl I've been with." Minato said.

"My student is crushing on someone already!" Jiraiya shouted.

Minato was embarrased when people turned their heads looking in their direction. "Sensei... Kushina's just a friend, nothing more."

"Really huh? so you wouldn't mind if she was kissing another guy?" Jiraiya said.

"I er... why are we talking about this anyway huh?" Minato said trying to evade the question.

"Why? Dont you trust your sensei huh? You'll realize it sooner or later." Jiraiya said.

"It's not that I dont trust you, Im just not sure with my feelings yet..." Minato said.

Jiraiya looked at him and tapped his head "Im leaving, dont forget about the training tomorrow, your precious Kushina will be there."

"My what?!" Minato said as he realized something.

"You are setting us up arent you?" Minato said.

"Damn. He's so smart...Gotta think of an excuse. Aha!"

"Of course not, Even if I am your sensei, why would I enter your personal matters? whatever happens between you two, I dont care. I just wanted to help her with her training, arent you grateful that I am lending her a helping hand?" Jiraiya asked.

"Of course I am, It is just very unusual of you. You dont even give much attention to my training, all you ever do is peek at girls while I am training my butt off." Minato said.

"Ow.. that hurts Minato-kun, I've gotta go now, see ya tomorrow!" Jiraiya left the ramen stand while waving his hand goodbye.

"why do I have this feeling that he's up to no good?" Minato thought.

end of chapter...

To be continued...

Hugs and kisses!